Data Scientist Salary: Los Angeles, CA vs Boston, MA
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Data Scientists in Los Angeles, CA and Boston, MA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Los Angeles, CA | Boston, MA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $129,740 | $132,040▲ | -$2,300 |
| 25th Percentile | $91,350 | $102,720▲ | -$11,370 |
| 75th Percentile | $168,420▲ | $166,120 | +$2,300 |
| 90th Percentile | $208,280▲ | $206,220 | +$2,060 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 113.6 | 108.3 | +5.3 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $114,242 | $121,959▲ | -$7,717 |
| Total Employment | 9,850 | 7,930 | +1,920 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Boston, MA pays $2,300 more (median: $129,740 vs $132,040). BEA's regional price parity is 113.6 in Los Angeles, CA and 108.3 in Boston, MA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $114,242 and $121,959, so Boston, MA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
4More Data Scientist City Comparisons
5Reading This Comparison
The $2,300 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $114,242 for Los Angeles and $121,959 for Boston, a difference of $7,717.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 9,850 Data Scientist jobs in the Los Angeles area and 7,930 in the Boston area. For broader context, see our California overview and the full Data Scientist city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Data Scientist salary higher in Los Angeles, CA or Boston, MA?
Boston, MA has the higher median wage for Data Scientists ($132,040 per year, against $129,740 in Los Angeles, CA; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $114,242 in Los Angeles, CA and $121,959 in Boston, MA.
How do prices compare between Los Angeles, CA and Boston, MA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 113.6 for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan area and 108.3 for the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 13.6% above the national level for Los Angeles, CA and 8.3% above the national level for Boston, MA.
Which city pays Data Scientists more once local prices are counted?
Boston, MA: at national-average prices its median Data Scientist wage is $121,959, against $114,242 for Los Angeles, CA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.